[ SHOWGSD-L ] AKC<>URGENT: CA SB 250 Amended: Opposition Still Needed – Now!
- From: Stormy Hope <Stormy435@xxxxxxx>
- To: GSD list <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 12:13:46 -0700
URGENT: CA SB 250 Amended: Opposition Still Needed ? Now!
*Please forward to your club members
Senator Florez has amended Senate Bill 250, but the changes do little
to address AKC?s fundamental concerns with the bill. It is imperative
that California responsible dog owners and breeders immediately
contact their Assemblymembers and Senators and ask them to oppose SB
250!!!
As expected, the bill now provides that an intact dog with a current
intact license will not be required to be sterilized on a first
offense. However, two violations may occur years apart and not be a
true reflection of a habitually irresponsible owner. If a dog gets
loose one time as a 6-month old puppy and is then accidentally
released by a gardener 5 years later, that does not signify a problem
animal.
The bill continues to prohibit an owner who?s intact license revoked
from owning any intact dog, so if you have one problem animal who
escapes twice you would be banned from ever owning an intact dog
again! This is completely unreasonable.
Although the new amendments attempt to provide exemptions for working
dogs, hunting dogs, guide dogs, signal dogs, service dogs, peace
officer dogs and firefighter dogs, the bill language is not sufficient
to truly exempt those animals. First, it is unclear how an owner would
prove that their dog qualifies in one of these categories. Secondly,
since most city and county licensing laws require that dogs wear the
license tags, many will be unable to comply while performing their
specified duties.
As one example, the amendment for field trial dogs requires that the
owner have a current hunting license. Many field trailers choose to
compete but may not actually hunt. The bill also fails to exempt other
dog events such as agility, rally and obedience. It is unclear whether
being within a competition ring is enough to keep a dog from being
declared at-large.
SB 250 also requires anyone who sells an intact dog-regardless of the
dog?s age-to provide the licensing agency with the name and address of
the new owner. It is not clear if the breeder is supposed to contact
the licensing agency in their jurisdiction or the new owner?s
jurisdiction. In Los Angeles County alone there are 51 incorporated
cities (hence 52 licensing agencies, including the county) so it is
unlikely that a breeder would sell a dog to an owner in the same
jurisdiction. This is a burdensome requirement that will do nothing to
improve the lives of dogs and cats in California.
This bill is currently on the Assembly floor and will likely be voted
on in the next few days. If it passes the Assembly it will return to
the Senate to enable the Senators to vote for or against the changes
made in the Assembly. We would ask you to contact both your
Assemblymember and Senator immediately!!
The American Kennel Club opposes Senate Bill 250 as it continues to
use sterilization as a punishment for any violation of the animal
control ordinance and for failure to license. Strict limit laws and
unreasonably high license fees contribute significantly to people?s
failure to license their animals and these issues should be examined
in dealing with animal control issues in the state.
Finally, existing state law already requires that owners of intact
animals pay a license fee that is at least double that of a sterilized
animal (Food and Agriculture Code Section 30804.5); and provides for
enhanced and graduated fines for owners whose intact dogs are
impounded (Food and Agriculture Code Section 30804.7). These statutes
are sufficient to incentivize owners to sterilize their animals and to
address animal control concerns with specific intact animals who are
impounded repeatedly.
This legislation will not improve the lives of cats and dogs, will
negatively impact responsible owners and breeders. Additionally, by
placing additional burdens on owners of intact animals, this
measuremay lead to an increase of animals in shelters.Concentrating
animal control efforts on dogs whose behavior demonstrates that they
are a problem for the community, regardless of their reproductive
status, would be a much better use of taxpayer funds.
There has been some confusion as to how this would affect folks
traveling to California from other states. Although you would be
subject to local animal control ordinances such as pick-up ordinances
and to state laws such as animal cruelty laws, the provisions of SB
250 relate specifically to licensing and only California residents
would be required to have their dogs licensed.
What You Can Do
· Contact your Assemblymember and Senator and ask him/her to
oppose SB 250. A sample letter for you to personalize is available
here. To find out who represents you in the California State
Legislature, please click here.
If you would rather not receive future communications from The
American Kennel Club, let us know by clicking here.
The American Kennel Club, 8051 Arco Corporate Dr. Suite 100, Raleigh,
NC 27617 United States
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